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IBD Patients With Depression, Anxiety at Risk for Medical Non-compliance
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ORLANDO – Psychiatric comorbidities, like anxiety or depression, significantly increase the risk for medical non-compliance in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, and may worsen disease course, according to research presented at Advances in IBD 2017.
Prior research has shown that anxiety and depression in patients with IBD reduces medical compliance and quality of life, and often hinders the long-term follow up necessary for managing IBD. Jai Eun Lee, MD, from the Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University Medical Center, and colleagues aimed to determine whether psychiatric comorbidities in patients with IBD are linked to a worsening disease course.
They conducted a retrospective chart review of 162 patients who were evaluated at an outpatient GI clinic from 2013-2017 to compare demographic and medical history between IBD patients with and without psychiatric comorbidities.
In total, 48 of 162 IBD patients had a comorbid psychiatric disorder. The most common conditions were depression and anxiety, and 36 patients were taking psychiatric medications at the time of study.
Patients with psychiatric conditions were significantly more likely to have a history of missed clinic appointments (94% vs. 76%; P = .044) and history of narcotics (34% vs. 11%; P = .008) or illicit drug use (15% vs. 0%; P = .003) compared to patients without psychiatric comorbidities. Patients who used psychotropic medications were more likely to use more narcotics (P = .006) and illicit drugs (P < .001) in a dose-dependent manner.
Lee and colleagues found that psychiatric comorbidities in IBD patients are significant risk factors for medical non-compliance and may lead to a worsening disease course, suggesting that clinicians should address both physical and mental health when managing and caring for patients with IBD. – by Savannah Demko
Reference:
Lee JE, et al. Psychiatric Conditions Are Associated with Medical Noncompliance and Worsening Disease Course in IBD Patient Population. Presented at: Advances in IBD; Nov. 9-11, 2017; Orlando.
Disclosures: Healio Gastroenterology was unable to confirm any relevant financial disclosures at the time of publication.